Andrew h



(No Model.)

A. H. BROWN. LEAK DETECTOR FOR PIPES.

Patented Jan.2'7,1891.

l'l'l'l l ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREV H. BROlVN, OF NE YORK, N. Y.

LEAK-DETECTOR FOR PIPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,495, dated January 27, 1891.

Application filed September 20, 1890. Serial No. 365,635. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW I-I. BROWN, of the city, county, and State of New York,have invented a new and Improved Leak-Detector for Pipes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to leak-detectors such as shown and described in the United States Letters Patent No. @1309, granted to me April 16, 1889.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved leak-detector in which the alarm is uninterruptedly sounded when a leak occurs.

The invention consists in certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged seetional side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same. Fig. at is a plan view of the same with the cover removed; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of the improvement, parts being in section.

In the leak-detector which forms the sub ject-matter of the patent above referred to the accumulating water actuates the valve so that the annunciator is sounded. As soon as the water has passed the valve and run on. through the waste-pipe, then the valve again closes and the alarm given by the annunciator ceases.

In the leak detector presently to be described the alarm is continuously sounded until the leak is repaired.

The leakdetector A is applied to the bottom of the drip -pan B, over which pass the several pipes O in a manner similar to that shown in the patent above referred to. The leak-detector A is provided with a casing D, the bottom of which is either closed, as shown in Fig. 5, or it connects by a pipe E with the waste-pipe F. The casing D is provided with a cap G, having perforations, through which passes the water from the drip-pan B into a bucket H, held below the inner end G of the cap G, which is curved inward slightly, as is shown in Fig. The upper end of the bucket is normally seated on the curved end of the cap to prevent leakage.

The bucket II is provided with trunnions I, hung in the forked end of a lever J, fulcrumed at J in an extension D of the casing D. The free end of the lever is weighted so as to counterbalance the bucket II until a suiiicicnt quantity of water has accumulated in the bucket to overbalance the weight on the lever. \Vhen the bucket H swings downward after a sufiicient quantity of water has accumulated, its lower end finally rests on the lugs D secured in the bottom of the casing D.

On top of the free end of the lever J is secured an insulated block K, adapted to press the free end of a plate L in contact with the plate L, said plates being located one above the other and supported from an insulated plate L secured on the end of the extension D of the casing D. In the normal position shown in Fig. 2-that is, when the bucket H is empty-the block K is slightly below the plate L and the two plates L and L are a short distance from each other. The plates L and L are connected by wires N and N, respectively, with an annunciator O, of any improved construction.

The operation is as follows: When the pipes C in one of the rooms, apartments, or floors leak, then the water drips into the pan B, from which it flows through the perforated cap G into the bucket H. .As soon as sufficient water has accumulated in the bucket H, the latter swings downward by the overbalancing of the free end of the lever J, and the latter consequently swings upward at its free end, so that the ends of the plates L and L are pressed in contact with each other by the block K. An electric current is thus established through the wires N and N and the annunciator 0, so that an alarm is given which attracts the attention of the janitor or other person in charge of the building, at the same time indicating the room, apartment, or floor in which the leak has occurred, so that preparation can be made immediately to stop the leak in the respective apartment. It will be seen that when the bucket I'l swings downward it rests on the lugs D and the leakwater still passing through the cap G can overflow the bucket H and pass into and through the pipe E into the waste-pipe F. If the casing D is closed at the bottom, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the bucket I-I simply rests on the bottom of the casing D, and the leak water accumulates in the casing D and the drip-pan B, which is sufficiently large to hold considerable water until the janitor or other attendant attends to the leak. During the time that the bucket H is in a lowermost position the contact remains between the plates L and L, so that the alarm is constantly rung until the leak is attended to.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent 1. In a leak-detector, the combination, with a casing adapted to be secured in the bottom of a drip-pan, of a pivoted and counterbalanced forked lever, a bucket provided With trunnions by Which it is hung upon the said lever, and contact-plates connected with an annunciator, said plates being arranged one above the other and adapted to be pressed into contact with each other'by the said lever, substantially as herein shown and described. 2. In a leak-detector, the combination,with a casing having an extension and provided with a perforated top and lugs on its bottom, of a counterbalanced forked lever pivoted in the extension, a bucket provided with trunnions by which it is hung upon the said lever, an insulated block on the weighted end of the lever, and contact-plates arranged one above the other and adapted to be connected to an annunciator, substantially as herein shown and described.

ANDREW H. BROWN.

Witnesses:

THEO. G. HOSTER, O; SEDGWIOK. 

